Heat concentrator for pellet stoves

ABSTRACT

A stove insert that concentrates heat within a pellet stove generating a greater amount of heat from the same amount of fuel. The result is that the fuel lasts longer and burns more efficiently.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heat concentrators are not new to the art. However, a heat concentrator that inserts into a pellet stove to increase the efficiency of that stove is.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,186 entitled, “Device for increasing the Efficiency of Cooking on Gas Stoves” issued to Smith on May 15, 1984, teaches a device for concentrating heat from a flame of a gas stove in combination, with a cooking utensil, that includes a first collar rigidly attached to the cooking utensil and mating with a second collar attached to a grid of the stove. The collars may have several peripherally disposed vents and control the venting of the flame of the stove. The Smith patent is specific to a stove top and has a two piece system that literally attaches to the cooking utensil to concentrate heat from and open flame directed at the bottom of the cooking utensil.

The present invention is a standalone device that is placed on top of the combustion chamber of a pellet stove to funnel and direct heat to the heating tubes of the air flow system, increasing the temperature of the heating tubes before the heat is transferred to the room for radiant heating. The Smith device teaches a heat concentrator for cooking not heating.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,694,671 entitled, “Flame Focusing Ring for Stovetop Gas Burner and Universal Wok Support” issued to Lee on Apr. 13, 2010 teaches a flame concentrating ring with an inwardly curved upper wall portion and air inlet vents at its base for encircling a gas burner and directing the flames upward and inwardly to focus on the bottom center of a wok. A wok support ring straddles a stovetop grate. The wok support ring comprises a truncated conical base having a narrow opening at the top for supporting the bottom of the wok, a wide opening at the bottom thereof which rests on the stove grate and a plurality of customizable break away tabs of which a user breaks a plurality out to form stove grate engaging notches. The wok support ring incorporates a plurality of bail bearings to cradle the bottom of wok to allow freedom of movement and manipulation of the wok.

The instant invention teaches the concentration of heat and not flame. The Lee patent also suffers from being a stove top device, not an insertable device to concentrate heat toward an air flow system within a pellet stove.

The instant, invention has greater utility than either of the prior art devices, in that, it provides a heat concentrator that inserts into a pellet stove to concentrate and funnel heat towards the heating tubes of the air flow system of the pellet stove, increasing the stoves heat output and efficiency.

THE INVENTION

The present invention is a stove insert, that comprises a unitary metal hollow conduit that has a front, a first end and a second end.

The first end is wider than the second end. The first end has an opening that is smaller than an opening in the second end.

The front surface near the second end has at least two slits therethrough. Each slit has a minimum opening of 1/16″×4½″. The insert has a minimum of at least two slits.

The front has a handle rigidly fastened thereto, near a center thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the stove insert within a pellet stove.

FIG. 2 is a full front view of the stove insert.

FIG. 3 is a full side view of the stove insert.

FIG. 4 is a full top view of the stove insert.

FIG. 5 is a full bottom view of the stove insert.

FIG. 6 is a full back view of the stove insert.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the stove insert within a pellet stove 18. It has been discovered that by using the stove insert as a heat concentrator the efficiency of the pellet stove can be significantly increased. The stove insert 2 surmounts the combustion camber 20. The stove insert 2 gathers heat and funnels it toward the air flow system 32. The blower 22 brings air into the stove 18 from the rear. This air is room temperature or cooler. The pellets are stored in a hopper 24 and are fed to the combustion chamber 20. When the pellets are burned in the combustion chamber it creates heat. The heat from the combustion radiates and moves up as hot air. The stove insert 2 captures the heat concentrating it and funneling it toward the heating tubes 30 of the air flow system 32. This heats the tubes 30 much hotter and faster than just the radiant process. The air inside the tubes 30 is then further pushed out of the heat vent at the front of the stove 18 and into the room heating the surrounding area. The access to the stove insert is through the door 28 of the stove 18.

FIG. 2 shows the stove insert 2 from the front 4. It has been discovered that the stove insert 2 allows heat produced by the stove 18 to be concentrated and flow upward by design where the heat is funneled into the blower air flow and exits the stove 18 increasing its efficiency. The stove insert 2 has a front 4, a top or first end 6 and a bottom end or second end 8. The front 4 has a front surface 10. This front surface 10 has spaced apart slits 12 and 14 respectively. The slits 12 and 14 allow for air to enter the stove insert 2 creating a convection current and drawing the heat through upwardly and concentrating at the blower air flow then exiting the stove. Each slit preferably has a minimum opening of 1/16″×4½″.

FIG. 3 shows the stove insert 2 from the side. The stove insert 2 has a large opening 36 at the second end 8 to gather as much heat from the stove 18 as is possible. The heat is concentrated and funneled upward where it leaves the insert through the first end 6 opening 34 to mingle with the tubes 30. The front 4 has a front surface 10 that has a handle 16 secured to it. The front surface 10 also has a first slit 12 and a second slit 14 to allow for convection of the heat that is being concentrated within the stove insert and moves it upward and out of the stove insert 2.

FIG. 4 shows the stove insert 2 from the top 6. The opening 34 at the first end or top 6 are smaller in dimension than the opening 38 so the heat will concentrate before leaving the stove insert 2.

FIG. 5 shows the stove insert 2 from the bottom or second end 8. The opening 36 at the second end or bottom 8 is larger in dimension than the opening 34 to allow for as much heat as possible to enter the stove insert 2 and to be concentrated before leaving and heating the heating tubes 30.

FIG. 6 is a full back 40 view of the stove insert 2. This embodiment features an inverted T shape opening 42 in the back 40. The purpose of the T shaped opening 42 is to accommodate different stove tops. Some stove tops have blowers and air flow systems that extend beyond the flat surface of the stove top. This T-shaped opening 42 allows the insert to set securely on the stove top. This embodiment consists of a stove insert that stove insert comprises a unitary metal hollow conduit that has a front, a first end and a second end.

The first end is wider than the second end. The first end has an opening that is smaller than an opening in the second end.

The front surface near the second end has at least two slits therethrough, each of the slit having a minimum opening of 1/16″×4½″.

The front has a handle rigidly fastened thereto, near a center thereof.

The insert has a back, there being an inverted T-shaped opening in the back, near the second end.

The pellet, stove has four feed settings and with the blower on high and an outside temperature of 30° F. setting one shows no significant change. At setting two, the temperature output is 140° F., on setting three the temperature output is 180° F. and on setting four the temperature output is 210° F. The air flow system of the pellet stove comprises the blower, the heating tubes and the vent to push air through the pellet stove and into a room. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A stove insert said stove insert comprising: a unitary metal hollow conduit having a front, a first end and a second end; said first end being wider than said second end, said first end having an opening that is smaller than an opening in the second end; said front surface near the second end having at least two slits therethrough, each said slit having a minimum opening of 1/16″×4½″; said front having a handle rigidly fastened thereto, near a center thereof.
 2. A stove insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stove insert is metal.
 3. stove insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stove insert is ceramic.
 4. A stove insert said stove insert comprising: a unitary metal hollow conduit having a front, a first end and a second end; said first end being wider than said second end, said first end having an opening that is smaller than an opening in the second end; said front surface near the second end having at least two slits therethrough, each said slit having a minimum opening of 1/16″×4½″; said front having a handle rigidly fastened thereto, near a center thereof; said insert having a back, there being an inverted T-shaped opening in said back, near the second end. 